Editor's note: The writer is a resident of Eliot, Maine, and a GOP candidate in Maine's 1st Congressional District.

One of the great travesties of the Bush administration has been an unwillingness to deal with the crisis of illegal immigration. One of the greatest travesties of the Baldacci administration is an executive order issued in 2004 that has transformed our state into a sanctuary for illegal aliens.

The citizens of Maine and the Legislature were never asked if they approved of such an appalling decision. The governor took it upon himself to devise a plan to welcome illegals to Maine and to force the taxpayers to support them with the vast array of welfare benefits that this state provides. It is no wonder our taxes are so high.

We don't know how many illegal aliens are currently in Maine. We do know that we have issued more than 5,300 driver's licenses to people who do not have a Social Security number. We can assume that most, if not all of them, are in the United States illegally. But in the world of illegal immigration, complete with its human smugglers and fake ID industry, it is reasonable to assume that word has spread far and wide that Maine is a sanctuary state that will not only protect illegals, but will give them all the financial benefits of citizenship.

Like the heroic Lou Barletta in Pennsylvania, Dean Scontras is one of a growing number of grassroots politicians whose presence in Washington is vital to help check the rampage of the next president, whether Clinton, Obama or McCain.